NHA Report: 7 Days of Updates (Day 3)

Day 3:  "Living in the moment" 
By James B Mansaray, Kabala Sierra Leone


Being a part of Nazareth House Apostolate, I have learned about staying in "the present moment".   Fr. Seraphim always points us to the moment, he says "that's where God is" and for us in Sierra Leone it is a way of life.  We must live in the moment - what has been or what will be aren't certain, what is right now - that we can trust. 





The other day as I was out delivering rice purchased by the donations of the compassionate supporters of NHA, I encountered an old blind lady, her name was Mammy Mannia.  

Here this sightless lady was walking a five mile hike all by herself to get to her village.  It was pouring rain which makes the muddy dirt roads hard enough to navigate, and here was this frail lady making her way home without the benefit of her eyes.   

I had plans to take the rice to another village and I did get to that village later.  But the moment I was in right now contained a hungry blind woman.  Needless to say, I escorted her home.  Raining on and off, we walked the five miles to the village of Kamaron.   

At times people shared the walk, other times it was just she and I.   Arriving in Kamaron, she was greeted by her six grandchildren.  

I left her with a large bag of rice.  

See the smiles as they realized that they will have food for few more weeks.....





Thanks to everyone for giving to NHA.   

I look at these beautiful innocent faces everyday, all around me here in Sierra Leone.  I can't tell you how much it means to me that through your generosity, NHA is able to change so many lives.   Please continue to give what you can, there are so many in need.  

I left Mammy Mannia with her bag of rice and went on to deliver rice to other families    in the area - more rice... more smiles!

NHA REPORT: 7 Days of Updates (Day 2)

DAY TWO:  NHA School completes another year of success!!!!!









The parents of each class eagerly wait outside the NHA School in Kabala, Sierra Leone to hear their child's name called 





and watch that child receive his grades for the school year just ended.   

How excited  they are.    





How proud they are.  

Just five short years ago, there was no school 



in this area and children either helped their parents at the farm or walked miles to a school.   


The children are happy 





and healthy, comparatively and the whole educational experience 





has been a tremendously favorable outcome for all involved - students, parents, teachers - the entire village. 





Without the generous donations of those who support Nazareth House Apostolate and their work in Sierra Leone, none of this could have been possible.   





But because of the compassion you have, the work continues and everyday this village in Kabala is working towards self sufficiency.  





Because of you, children have brighter futures.





We've got a long way to go, but we're making progress.    

Thank you all for your prayers, love and support. 

As school enjoys a Summer Break, we consider the needs of the next school semester.  

We need your help for NHA to continue to  provide good education to more students.  

We'll be needed to provide more uniforms and expand the classrooms.  





This takes funding, as always, let's spread the word. 

Invite your friends, relatives and neighbors to be a part of this wonderful example of love.  Matthew 25:35... 

NHA Report: 7 Days of Updates

DAY ONE: General updates...

Today marks exactly four weeks since my knee surgery. This morning was the first time I was able to kneel throughout the Liturgy.  progress ...

The day of surgery I was happy to see the high tech way in which they marked which knee the surgery should be performed!

There is still a bit of minor swelling but the improvements are remarkable.  I am thrilled with the outcome and are very thankful for the skillful work of Louisville Orthopedics Team and grateful for all the prayers.   Thank you.

The weather at St. Simeon Skete matches the temperatures in Sierra Leone reaching almost 110 in the shade!  The difference being, that in Sierra Leone, they are getting rain... lots of it!

In Kabala, Sierra Leone the well is completed and functioning, serving the villagers around it - and the NHA School and Compound.

 A tank is under construction and when finished it will pipe water into the compound so that when Kadijah turns on the faucet, amazingly, water will run out.



Thank you for all of your support in getting this project accomplished.

The NHA School has completed yet another year and we will be reporting on that later this week.

St. Simeon Skete acquired some chickens last month and we are anxiously awaiting the "egg laying".  

The chickens, a rather mellow and friendly bunch, fit rather well in the hesychastic environment



of the skete and have been named "The Hesychicks".  

There is Water; There is Room

^{Genesis 26: 17-18 (The Message) "}So Isaac left. He camped in the valley of Gerar and settled down there. Isaac dug again the wells which were dug in the days of his father Abraham but had been clogged up by the Philistines after Abraham's death. And he renamed them, using the original names his father had given them".


It's been over a year in the making and "remaking" of the well at the Nazareth House Apostolate Compound on the way to Ismaia in Kabala, Sierra Leone.   But today, there is water - fresh, clean water.  

All of us at NHA - The NHA Board of Directors, the Staff in Sierra Leone, the beautiful people we serve, and especially  Pa Foday, James, Seraphim and I want to thank everyone for the combined effort to make this very important project a functioning reality.  

Pa Foday shows Mama Fatu the newly finished well! 

This is big! and you are all such a huge part of its accomplishment.   

Thank You!  Tenki! Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated.  God bless you all. 

James draws fresh water from the NHA Well of Rehoboth 

During the Rebel Attacks, many of the wells of Kabala were destroyed.  So, like Isaac, we have to reestablish the wells.    

The well that we rejoice over today, is vital to the survival of the people in the area near our NHA Compound and NHA School.   





As it was Isaac's top priority, it is also ours at NHA.  Hagar saw a well in the desert, so she was able to quench the thirst of Ishmael.  



We now have a working well where there was none, where the waters were dry and now we are able to quench the thirst of  Ismaia (Ishmael) Road (The name of the dirt pathway in which our compound and school reside).  


^{Genesis 26:19-24 (The Message)} "One day, as Isaac's servants were digging in the valley, they came on a well of spring water. The shepherds of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's shepherds, claiming, "This water is ours." So Isaac named the well Esek (Quarrel) because they quarreled over it. They dug another well and there was a difference over that one also, so he named it Sitnah (Accusation). He went on from there and dug yet another well. But there was no fighting over this one so he named it Rehoboth (Wide-Open Spaces), saying, "Now God has given us plenty of space to spread out in the land." From there he went up to Beersheba. That very night God appeared to him and said,

   I am the God of Abraham your father;
      don't fear a thing because I'm with you.
   I'll bless you and make your children flourish
      because of Abraham my servant."

In honor of Abraham and Isaac, we name this well at the NHA Compound and School:  The Well of Rehoboth, Kabala, Sierra Leone - for there is room, "wide open spaces" - the access is no longer restricted.  

We do so because the well was not built in a selfish manner, for there were many who participated in making it happen.  

It was not built for NHA's private use only but for all of us - those living in the area - along with the school and compound. 

Community means "fellowship with others, a result of sharing common attitudes, interests and goals; a group of people living together in one place, esp. one practicing common ownership attitudes".  This is what NHA is - community, not only at St. Simeon Skete but also here in Kabala. 

Wells in the Bible are linked with a long history of Grace.  The Biblical wells are not only reservoirs of indispensable refreshment but places where charity comes into play and where union of souls begins to take shape.  (Genesis 24: 11-20; 62; Ex. 2:16-21; Jn 4:6; etc.)

As we take joy in the digging, completion, and functioning of this well, we should also consider reestablishing many of the wells our forefathers dug in order to survive spiritually.  We must first consider the well of ongoing prayer in our lives.  It is the most powerful force around us, providing God the space to intervene in the affairs of our lives, yet... and yet,  it is the most unused and neglected source of strength around us.   God doesn't work apart from prayer.   If the well of prayer is not freely flowing in our life, we must re-open it.  Martin Luther said, “If I neglect prayer but a single day, I should lose a great deal of the fire of faith.” Isaac re-dug the wells of his father. Let us do the same in our own lives.